Facility Overview
Situated along the primary southwestern commercial corridor of Ithaca, 359 Elmira Road Parking serves the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Ithaca and neighboring visitors. The facility is a well-maintained, open-air surface lot that wraps smoothly around the four-story hotel property. Because it is an unobstructed outdoor asphalt lot, there are no overhead ceiling restrictions or low-clearance parking garage beams. This wide-open layout makes it exceptionally easy to navigate for standard sedans, compact crossovers, large pickup trucks, full-size SUVs, and passenger vans. The generous drive aisles and perimeter spaces also offer ample maneuvering space for high-profile vehicles and recreational tourers visiting the scenic Finger Lakes region.
Prime Location & Nearby Attractions
The lot boasts a strategic position along Route 13 (Elmira Road), offering rapid access to Ithaca's top natural, educational, and cultural attractions:
- Buttermilk Falls State Park: Located less than half a mile south (a 5-minute walk or 2-minute drive), granting immediate access to hiking trails, gorge cascades, and seasonal swimming areas.
- Robert H. Treman State Park: Situated approximately 3.5 miles southwest, famous for Lucifer Falls and dramatic shale gorges.
- Downtown Ithaca Commons & State Theatre: Just 1.4 miles north (5 minutes by car), offering pedestrian-only streets packed with artisan boutiques, craft breweries, and live theatrical performances.
- Ithaca College: Located approximately 1.5 miles east perched on South Hill, making this lot a great base for college tours and campus events.
- Cornell University: Around 3 miles northeast, reachable in under 10 minutes by car via Route 13 and Route 79.
- South Ithaca Commercial Hub: Immediate walking distance to local dining, coffee shops, and major retail centers such as Tops Friendly Markets, Wegmans, and Trader Joe's.
Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity
Access to the lot is straightforward via dedicated entry and exit aprons along Elmira Road (NY State Route 13), one of the area's main multi-lane thoroughfares. Drivers traveling north or south can enter with clear sightlines, and traffic signals at nearby intersections help facilitate smooth turns onto the main roadway during peak hours. For public transit users, Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) operates frequent bus routes along Elmira Road (including Routes 15 and 67), providing affordable, direct rides into downtown Ithaca, Ithaca Commons, and the Cornell campus without needing to move your vehicle.
Facility Amenities & Key Features
- Spacious open-air surface parking with clearly demarcated single-vehicle bays.
- Zero vertical clearance restrictions, perfectly accommodating high-roof vans, roof racks, and pickup trucks.
- Designated ADA-compliant accessible spaces positioned adjacent to main building entranceways with level ramps.
- Bright commercial-grade exterior pole lighting and regular property maintenance during winter snow conditions.
- Seamless registration and payment options available for hotel guests, visitors, and commercial travelers.
Ideal For
- Outdoor enthusiasts visiting Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman State Parks looking for easy-access staging.
- Families and prospective students touring Ithaca College or Cornell University.
- Visitors seeking dependable, budget-friendly surface parking near South Ithaca dining and retail centers.
- Business travelers and weekend getaways exploring the Finger Lakes Wine Country.
Visitor & Driver Tips
During peak autumn foliage weekends, graduation dates, and Cornell move-in weeks, traffic along Elmira Road can increase substantially, so plan your arrival accordingly. Non-hotel guests should check with on-site desk management or verify posted parking terms to confirm daily parking eligibility and register their license plate upon arrival. In winter, Ithaca experiences heavy lake-effect snowfalls; the lot is promptly plowed, but caution is advised when maneuvering around perimeter snowbanks.
